Formulated by Dr Karen Becker, an integrative and functional medicine veterinarian and one of the most-followed voices in pet health worldwide. She's the author of two New York Times bestselling books on pet health, with decades of focus on root-cause, whole-body healing, an approach that aligns closely with how we think about feeding and healing dogs here at The Healthy Hound.
Her formulas address the underlying reasons pets struggle with digestion, not just the symptoms. This one is made in a GMP-certified facility and third-party tested for purity.
Dr Becker's products are sold through her brand Proactive Paws, and we're thrilled to be bringing this one into New Zealand for the first time. Currently, you can only buy this in New Zealand through The Healthy Hound.
Digestion is the gateway to health. Before any nutrient can nourish the body, it first has to be properly broken down. When digestion falls short anywhere in that chain, nutrients get lost, inflammation can build, and even a genuinely good diet can underperform.
How digestion works
Food enters the stomach, where stomach acid and enzymes begin breaking proteins down. From there, partially digested food moves into the small intestine, where bile and pancreatic enzymes finish the job so nutrients can be absorbed. When this sequence is disrupted, food lingers, breaks down incompletely, and ferments, feeding the wrong bacteria and triggering gas, bloating, reflux, and discomfort.
Two different digestive gaps
Dogs on kibble or other processed diets often develop lower stomach acid over time. Heavily heat-treated, moisture-deficient, high-starch food reduces the stimulus for strong acid production, and the stomach adapts by producing less. Protein digestion stalls, food lingers, and symptoms like lip licking, burping, and restlessness after meals show up, often mistaken for too much acid when it's really too little digestive power.
Fresh and raw diets contain natural enzymes but are often short on lipase, the enzyme needed to digest fat properly. In the wild, carnivores get much of their enzyme supply from their prey's pancreas, which very few home-prepared diets replicate. Even a well-balanced raw diet can have a fat-digestion gap that enzyme supplementation helps close.
What's in the formula
Protease, bromelain, and papain break protein down into usable amino acids. Lipase breaks down fat, the enzyme most likely to be short on a raw or fresh diet. Amylase, cellulase, hemicellulase, and xylanase handle carbohydrates and plant fibre, reducing fermentable material in the gut. Lactase supports dairy digestion. Pepsin supports early-stage protein digestion in the stomach. Pancreatin mirrors the pancreas' own enzyme output, useful for ageing dogs or those with reduced pancreatic reserve. Ox bile supports fat emulsification, especially valuable for dogs with sluggish digestion, gallbladder history, or a removed gallbladder. Taurine (167mg per scoop) keeps bile acids soluble and functional.
Especially worth considering for:
Senior dogs. Enzyme production naturally declines with age. Both of my own dogs, aged 13 and 8, are on enzymes daily, even on a beautifully balanced raw diet, because a great diet doesn't switch off this natural decline.
Dogs with a history of pancreatic issues. A previous bout of pancreatitis can leave lasting reduction in the pancreas' own enzyme output. Ongoing enzyme support is something many integrative vets consider valuable for these dogs, worked out alongside your own vet.
Dogs with a history of gallbladder sludging or reduced bile flow, given the ox bile and taurine content.
Any dog with gas, bloating, reflux, or discomfort after rich meals, or dogs who eat grass, pass visible undigested food, or seem to have food sit heavy.
May help with:
Gas, bloating, and reflux linked to incomplete digestion. Better fat digestion and nutrient absorption. Digestive support for ageing dogs with reduced enzyme output. Ongoing support for dogs with a history of pancreatic issues, alongside veterinary guidance. Bile flow and gallbladder support. General comfort around rich or fatty meals.
A few things worth knowing
Can this go with probiotics? Yes, they're often used together. Enzymes improve how food is broken down, probiotics support the microbial balance that follows.
Any dogs who shouldn't use this? Don't use if your dog has been diagnosed with gastrointestinal ulcers or erosions, or has a known allergy to any ingredient in the formula. Check with your vet if unsure.
Introducing to a sensitive dog? Start with less than the standard dose and build up gradually over several days to weeks.
As always, if your dog has a diagnosed condition like pancreatitis or a history of gut ulcers, please check with your vet before adding anything new. This is a support tool alongside good feeding practices and veterinary care, not a replacement for either.